What you'll be doing

The Boyne Valley and Brú na Bóinne are of significant archaeological and historical importance.

Delegates will marvel at the ingenuity and engineering skills of prehistoric man as we explore the extraordinary burial tombs of  Brú na Bóinne

Brú na Bóinne, which means the ‘palace’ or the ‘mansion’ of the Boyne, refers to the area within the bend of the River Boyne which contains one of the world’s most important prehistoric landscapes. It has been the focus of human settlement for at least 6,000 years.

The site is a complex of Neolithic mounds, chamber tombs, standing stones, henges and other prehistoric enclosures, some from as early as 35th century BC - 32nd century BC.

The archaeological landscape within Brú na Bóinne is dominated by the three well-known large, impressive passage tombs, Knowth, Newgrange and Dowth, built some 5,000 years ago in the Neolithic or Late Stone Age. An additional ninety monuments have been recorded in the area giving rise to one of the most significant archaeological complexes in terms of scale and density of monuments and the material evidence that accompanies them. The Brú na Bóinne tombs, in particular Knowth, contain the largest assemblage of megalithic art in Western Europe.

The site covers 780 ha and contains around 40 passage graves, as well as other prehistoric sites and later features. The majority of the monuments are concentrated on the north side of the river.

The Visitor Centre also contains exhibitions that describe the society that created the Neolithic tombs, their homes, dress, food, tools and weapons. Great emphasis is placed throughout the exhibition on the building of the monuments; why they were built: how they were used; where the building stones were found and how these were moved to the site. The audio–visual show deals primarily with the solar alignments in the Boyne Valley. The extensive exhibition also contains a partial full-scale replica of the chamber at Newgrange as well as a replica of one of the smaller sites at Knowth.